Soft-Shelled Turtles (Trionychidae) from the Cenomanian of Uzbekistan

Localities from the Cenomanian of Uzbekistan are the oldest in Middle Asia and Kazakhstan to preserve two broadly sympatric species of trionychid turtle. Material described here comes from multiple Cenomanian formations from the Itemir locality, and from multiple localities in the Cenomanian Khodzhakul Formation. The first taxon from the locality, "Trionyx" cf. kyrgyzensis, has multiple morphological similarities with the older, Early Cretaceous "Trionyx" kyrgyzensis. In contrast, the second taxon, "Trionyx" dissolutus, has multiple similarities with "Trionyx" kansaiensis, one of two species of trionychid found in younger Late Cretaceous localities. "Trionyx" dissolutus bears some superficial resemblance to other trionychid taxa within the clade Plastomenidae because of its highly ossified plastron with a hyoplastral lappet and an epiplastral notch. However, Plastomenidae is diagnosed primarily through characters that are absent or cannot be observed in the available material of "T." dissolutus, and other shared features are plesiomorphic. In addition, "T" dissolutus shares other synapomorphies with Trionychinae. A heavily ossified plastron may be more homoplastric within Trionychidae than has been previously recognized. Finally, we provide an improved understanding of the subtle similarities and differences between several closely related Cretaceous turtle assemblages of Middle Asia and Kazakhstan. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.National Science Foundation EAR-9804771, 0207004National Geographic Society 5901-97, 6281-98US Civilian Research and Development Foundation RUB1-2860-ST-07Russian Federation NSh-2990.2014.4Russian Foundation for Basic Research 14-04-00416Robert C. Bates Travelling FellowshipGeological Science

Soft-Shelled Turtles (Trionychidae) from the Bissekty formation (Upper Cretaceous: Turonian) of Uzbekistan: Skull-Based Taxa and Probable Skull-Shell Associations

In this paper we describe previously unpublished trionychid turtle material, consisting of skull fragments, from the Late Cretaceous (late Turonian) Bissekty Formation of the Dzharakuduk locality in Uzbekistan. This material is assigned to two taxa: the skull-based Khunnuchelys kizylkumensis Brinkman et al. (1993, Can. J. Earth Sci. 30, 2214-2223) and Trionychini indet. Two specimens which cannot be confidently attributed to these two taxa are considered Trionychidae indet. In addition to these trionychid taxa known from skulls, the Dzharakuduk turtle assemblage includes at least two shell-based taxa, Aspideretoides cf. A. riabinini and "Trionyx" cf. "T." kansaiensis. For this and other Late Cretaceous localities of Middle Asia and Kazakhstan, we suggest the probable skull-shell associations of Khunnuchelys spp. with "Trionyx" kansaiensis-like forms and Trionychini indet. with Aspideretoides-like forms. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.National Science Foundation EAR-9804771, 0207004National Geographic Society 5901-97, 6281-98US Civilian Research and Development Foundation RUB1-2860-ST-07President of the Russian Federation to the Leading Scientific Schools NSh-6560.2012.4GSA Graduate Student Research GrantGeological Science

Soft-Shelled Turtles (Trionychidae) from the Bissekty formation (Late Cretaceous: Late Turonian) of Uzbekistan: Shell-Based Taxa

In this paper we describe previously unpublished trionychid turtle material, consisting of numerous shell fragments, from the Late Cretaceous (late Turonian) Bissekty Formation of the Dzharakuduk locality in Uzbekistan. This material is assigned to two shell-based taxa: Aspideretoides cf. riabinini and "Trionyx" cf. kansaiensis. The material which cannot be confidently attributed to these two taxa is identified as Trionychidae indet. In addition to these shell-based trionychid taxa, the Dzharakuduk turtle assemblage includes two skull-based taxa of trionychids (Khunnuchelys kizylkumensis and Trionychini indet.). The trionychids from the Bissekty Formation are most similar to trionychids from the younger (Santonian - early Campanian) Bostobe Formation of Kazakhstan, represented by three shell-based taxa (Aspideretoides riabinini, Paleotrionyx riabinini and "Trionyx" kansaiensis), and one skull-based taxon (Khunnuchelys sp.). We provide an improved understanding of the subtle similarities and differences between four closely related Cretaceous turtle assemblages of Middle Asia and Kazakhstan. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Russian Federation to the Leading Scientific Schools NSh-6560.2012.4Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian FederationRobert C. Bates travelling fellowshipGeological Science

Diphtheria in the Postepidemic Period, Europe, 2000–2009

Efforts must be made to maintain high vaccination coverage

Delineating modern variation from extinct morphology in the fossil record using shells of the Eastern Box Turtle (<i>Terrapene carolina</i>)

<div><p>Characterization of morphological variation in the shells of extant Eastern Box Turtles, <i>Terrapene carolina</i>, provides a baseline for comparison to fossil populations. It also provides an example of the difficulties inherent to recognizing intraspecific diversity in the fossil record. The degree to which variation in fossils of <i>T</i>. <i>carolina</i> can be accommodated by extant variation in the species has been disagreed upon for over eighty years. Using morphometric analyses of the carapace, I address the relationship between modern and fossil <i>T</i>. <i>carolina</i> in terms of sexual dimorphism, geographic and subspecific variation, and allometric variation. Modern <i>T</i>. <i>carolina</i> display weak male-biased sexual size dimorphism. Sexual shape dimorphism cannot be reliably detected in the fossil record. Rather than a four-part subspecific division, patterns of geographic variation are more consistent with clinal variation between various regions in the species distribution. Allometric patterns are qualitatively similar to those documented in other emydid turtles and explain a significant amount of shape variation. When allometric patterns are accounted for, Holocene specimens are not significantly different from modern specimens. In contrast, several geologically older specimens have significantly different carapace shape with no modern analogue. Those large, fossilized specimens represent extinct variation occupying novel portions of morphospace. This study highlights the need for additional documentation of modern osteological variation that can be used to test hypotheses of intraspecific evolution in the fossil record.</p></div

Results of jackknife validated assignment tests of specimens to sex using CVA of carapace shape.

<p>Numbers in brackets are the percent of specimens assigned.</p

Results of Procrustes ANOVA testing for significance of continuous covariates of carapace shape.

<p>Results of Procrustes ANOVA testing for significance of continuous covariates of carapace shape.</p

Comparison of osteological features of the carapace considered diagnostic of different subspecies of <i>Terrapene carolina</i> by different authors.

<p>Comparison of osteological features of the carapace considered diagnostic of different subspecies of <i>Terrapene carolina</i> by different authors.</p

Results of ANOVA testing for differences in various measures of carapace size between recognized subspecies of <i>T</i>. <i>carolina</i> in the United States.

<p>Results of ANOVA testing for differences in various measures of carapace size between recognized subspecies of <i>T</i>. <i>carolina</i> in the United States.</p